From Švandovo divadlo
by Pavel Jurda and Ensemble
Directed by Martin Františák
Inspired by the difficult life of Zdena Salivarová and Josef Škvorecký, two exceptional novelists and translators. The play looks at their specific work and difficult life in communist Czechoslovakia and subsequently in emigration in Toronto, Canada. In 1971, the couple founded the exile publishing house ’68 Publishers, about which their friend Milan Kundera declared that "without it, serious printed Czech literature would cease to exist".
The project is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic.
In collaboration with the Czech Center New York and the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in New York.
Presented in Czech with English subtitles.
ABOUT THE 2026 REHEARSAL FOR TRUTH INTERNATIONAL THEATER FESTIVAL
Rehearsal for Truth International Theater Festival, honoring Václav Havel, is a showcase of contemporary European theater organized each year in New York City. Conceived in 2017 as a shared endeavor of the Václav Havel Center (VHC) and Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association (BBLA), the festival honors the legacy of Czech playwright, dissident and political thinker Vaclav Havel. The 2026 festival is being produced in partnership with Untitled Theater Company No. 61.
Each edition of Rehearsal for Truth Theater Festival addresses current sociopolitical trends in Central and Eastern Europe, offering New York audiences a unique opportunity to witness the region’s theatrical zeitgeist.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.